Good read. Here is the direct link. I will copy and paste here as well in case it is behind a pay wall. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/61...-jets-salary-cap-room-aaron-rodgers-contract/ Jets’ salary cap situation with Aaron Rodgers on the way out (and Davante Adams likely to follow) Aaron Rodgers’ run with the New York Jets is officially over. And what a run it was. After all the hype and fanfare, the Jets only wound up getting one full season of Rodgers, and a whole lot of turmoil. At the end of the 2023 season, which Rodgers missed almost entirely due to his Achilles injury, he acknowledged that everyone was on the hot seat going into 2024. He was right. Head coach Robert Saleh was fired after five games and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, Rodgers’ close friend, was demoted. General manager Joe Douglas was fired midseason. And now Rodgers is being shoved out the door by the new regime, one led by head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey. It felt like it was heading this way for a while, long before Glenn and Mougey arrived, but they sealed it with a recent meeting in Florham Park. Now, the Jets will begin yet another quest to find their franchise quarterback, and Rodgers will see what else is out there for him — one last hurrah with another team, or retirement. Rodgers’ eventual release will have a cascading impact on the roster. Other moves are on the way that will clear cap space as the Jets begin a new era and try to build out a roster that has talent, but also a lot of holes. Let’s take a look at all the notable moves in the works, and the implications on the Jets’ cap sheet, starting with Rodgers. 1. Current cap situation Prior to the Jets releasing Rodgers, Over the Cap had the team projected for $20.59 million in cap space. It’s lower than it could be largely because of the way Douglas structured many of his contracts on the way out the door, loading them up with void years. So the Jets are technically paying around $24 in dead money to players that aren’t on the roster — a number that will jump significantly when Rodgers and others are released. 2. Aaron Rodgers release (or trade) It’s safe to assume the Jets will simply release Rodgers rather than trade him, and the assumption is that it will be a post-June 1 release. What does that mean? Rodgers will be free to speak with other teams immediately upon the Jets officially declaring him a post-June 1 release, but he can’t sign yet. The Jets will have to carry his $23.5 million cap hit until June 1 and won’t receive any cap relief until that point. By designating him a post-June 1 release, the Jets will save $9.5 million in cap space while taking on a $14 million dead-cap penalty in 2025, and $35 million in 2026. (If the Jets decide to cut him pre-June 1, they’d take the entire $49 million on this season and lose $25.5 million in cap space this offseason.) 3. Davante Adams release (or trade) Adams is unlikely to want to return with Rodgers leaving, and his contract is structured in a way that would give him the power to ultimately force his release. He has a $38.25 million cap hit, though none of his $35.6 million salary is guaranteed. The expectation should be that the Jets will cut or trade Adams and save $29.8 million in cap space while taking on an $8.3 million dead cap penalty. Adams was productive for the Jets and complemented Garrett Wilson well, but this is not a situation he’s expected to want to stick around for, especially with a new coaching staff and uncertainty at quarterback. It wouldn’t be surprising if he follows Rodgers wherever he lands next, unless Rodgers retires.
4. Allen Lazard release The way this contract was structured, Lazard was always getting released after the second year of a disastrous four-year, $44 million contract he signed as a free agent in 2023. He was awful in his first year and was playing slightly better with Rodgers in 2024 before he closed out the year with injuries and poor performance. He was one of the most drop-prone receivers in the NFL and didn’t exactly endear himself to teammates in the way that he rarely took responsibility for his struggles. Lazard has even gone so far as to admit that he struggles when Rodgers isn’t his quarterback. If/when the Jets release Lazard, they’ll save $6.6 million in cap space while taking on a $6.5 million dead cap penalty. If he was designated post-June 1, they’d save $11 million with a $2.1 million dead cap penalty. If the Jets cut Rodgers post-June 1, and both Adams and Lazard pre-June 1, they’d save approximately $45.9 million in cap to use this offseason or in the future. 5. C.J. Mosley release or retirement The linebacker, a beloved leader, had a rough 2024, only playing four games due to various injuries. Even when he played, it appeared he’d lost a step. The most likely outcome is that he retires, though perhaps he still wants to play somewhere. Whether he retires or is released, the Jets would have to designate it post-June 1 if they want to save any money on his contract — with a post-June 1 designation, they’d save $4 million with an $8.78 million dead cap penalty. (Note: Teams are only allowed to designate two players as post-June 1 cuts.) 6. Other potential cap casualties Kicker Greg Zuerlein: Cutting him would save $2.4 million with a $2.3 million dead cap hit. Defensive end Micheal Clemons: Cutting him would save $3.3 million with only a $191,024, though he seems likely to stick around to compete for a roster spot in camp. Punter Thomas Morstead: He’s likely to stick too, but cutting him would save $2.55 million with a 500,000 dead cap hit. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor: If the Jets opted to go in another direction at quarterback, they could consider cutting or trading Taylor. Trading him pre-June 1 would save $3.6 million with a $3.2 million dead cap penalty. More likely, the Jets will simply keep Taylor around as a backup, even if they added someone like Kirk Cousins or a first-round rookie. 7. 2022 draft class The Jets can save more money in 2025 depending on how they structure any potential extension from members of their 2022 draft class: wide receiver Garrett Wilson, cornerback Sauce Gardner, running back Breece Hall and defensive end Jermaine Johnson are all eligible for extensions on their rookie contracts. The Jets will also have to make decisions on the 2026 fifth-year options for Wilson (projected $16.63 million), Gardner ($20.35 million) and Johnson ($14.73 million), all first-round picks. Unless the new regime opts to trade any of them, I’d expect all three options to be picked up. 8. 2025 draft class Over the Cap projects that the Jets will need $5.68 million in cap space to cover their 2025 draft class, which includes the seventh overall pick. 9. Free Agents The Jets can also sign any of their own free agents before the start of free agency. The biggest names on that list include cornerback D.J. Reed, linebacker Jamien Sherwood, offensive tackle Morgan Moses, tight end Tyler Conklin, defensive end Haason Reddick, offensive tackle Tyron Smith, defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw, safety Ashtyn Davis, defensive tackle Solomon Thomas and restricted free agent safety Tony Adams. Of that group, Sherwood is most likely to stick around, but he should have a robust market.
